A tip called in to the CrimeStoppers line led Slidell police to a suspect in the July 4 armed robbery of the Deluxe Motel.

Darnell Smith, 24, of Picayune, Miss., was booked Friday with three counts of armed robbery.

Slidell Police Chief Freddy Drennan said someone who viewed a surveillance video of the robbery recognized Smith as one of the two robbers and notified authorities via the regional Crime Stoppers phone bank.

The motel's surveillance video of the holdup was provided by Slidell police earlier this week and posted by NOLA.com and other media outlets. Drennan credited the wide distribution of the robbery video by local media for the tip that led to Friday's arrest.

Smith is accused of robbing the desk clerk at the motel, located at 1662 Gause Blvd., as well as two Texas women who were in the lobby at the time.

After being arrested, Smith confessed to the crime and named his accomplice, police said.

He also told police where he and the other robber disposed of the two motel patron's purses. Investigators recovered both purses where Smith said they would be -- in a construction dumpster a block away from the motel.